Royal Commission investigates whether paedophiles operated within the Salvation Army
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Australia's Royal Commission investigates into institutional child sexual abuse and hears allegations that a paedophile ring operated within the Salvation Army in Sydney.

Reuters

30 Jan 2014

News/World

THE assistant principal at the Toowoomba primary school where paedophile Gerard Byrnes raped and sexually abused 13 girls has admitted she was not equipped with the skills to deal with the “catastrophe’’ which hit the school.

Megan Wagstaff, assistant principal overseeing religious education, has told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse she was not properly trained.

Commissioner Jennifer Coate asked: “Do you think you were properly equipped as the deputy principal of the school in terms of knowledge, training, and understanding of this complex area?”

“No I was not,’’ replied Ms Wagstaff

Ms Wagstaff said while she followed protocol in reporting the first complaint of Byrnes’ behaviour to the principal, she did not follow procedure correctly.

“There’s a different procedure that needs to be followed,’ she said.

Ms Wagstaff said she left off dates and names of children in her initial report.

“Knowing what we know now, it could have been handled very differently.’’

The Royal Commission has been told the Byrnes case highlighted serious flaws in the Catholic Church’s recent attempts to improve its response to allegations of sexual abuse.

Byrnes molested 13 girls at the school.

The Commission has heard that in 2010 he pleaded guilty in the Toowoomba District Court to 33 counts of indecent dealing with a child under 12, 10 counts of rape (relating to digital and oral penetration) and one count of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child under 12.

The Royal Commission was told a father first blew the whistle on Byrnes after his daughter complained Byrnes was touching children inappropriately, placing a hand under their shirts and up their skirts.

But police were not called and Byrnes went on offending.

The Commission was told Byrnes was even re-hired after retirement in June the following year to act as a relief teacher, continuing to attack children until police arrested him.

Ms Wagstaff said she did not participate in the organisation of meetings with parents to discuss the issue of Byrnes.

“It was clearly an extremely volatile, complex and catastrophic situation that hit the school wasn’t it?’’ Ms Coate asked.

“Yes,’’ replied Ms Wagstaff.

“And you were the deputy principal at the time?

“Yes.

“Were the meetings discussed with you - the development of them?

“No they were not.’’

“Do you have a deputy principal at the school where you are now?

“Yes.

“Would you do things differently with your deputy is such a situation arose?

“Yes I would.’’

The inquiry continues.

Earlier, the Toowoomba primary school in which a paedophile sexually abused and raped 13 girls had an annual PowerPoint presentation on how to deal with sexual abuse allegations.

Terence Michael Hayes, the school’s principal when Gerard Byrnes raped and sexually abused 13 girls, took the stand at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Brisbane just before 11.30am.

He told the commission the school had protocols to follow when dealing with sexual abuse including the Student Protection and Risk Management Kit.

Mr Hayes said there were three kit books in the school.

Asked if he had one in his office he said he was not sure before clarifying the issue.

“I can’t say definitely but I believe I would have had one, there were three in the school,’’ he said.

“Yes, actually I did.’’

The Royal Commission has been told the Byrnes case highlighted serious flaws in the Church’s recent attempts to improve its response to allegations of sexual abuse.

Byrnes molested 13 girls at the school.

The commission heard that in 2010 he pleaded guilty in the Toowoomba District Court to 33 counts of indecent dealing with a child under 12, 10 counts of rape (relating to digital and oral penetration) and one count of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child under 12.

The hearing was told a father first blew the whistle on Byrnes after his daughter complained Byrnes was touching children inappropriately, placing a hand under their shirts and up their skirts.

But police were not called and Byrnes went on offending.

The commission was told Byrnes was even rehired after retirement in June the following year to act as a relief teacher, continuing to attack children until police arrested him.

My Hayes said he conducted induction courses with all staff at the start of each year on sexual abuse protocols.

At the session he presented a PowerPoint presentation received as a package from the Catholic Education Office.

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